Hello Friend
by Elaine O'Roake
Summary: After Meg was saved by the Winchesters during the episode "Goodbye Stranger", she reluctantly stays to help them close the Gates of Hell in order to get back to her Clarence. Eventual Megstiel
1. What Do We Say To Death?

The dead taste of blood was heavily on her tongue as red ran down her face. Yet she didn't regret letting Sam go after Dean and her angel. If she died tonight, at least she knew they'd find the Angel Tablet and get themselves out of dodge. She slowly got herself up from the ground as Crowley approached her.

His fist closed around her jacket as he got her on her feet. From an outsider's perspective it might've looked like he was trying to help her, and not try to kill her. When she was level with his chest their eyes locked. His eyes were angry and victorious. While Meg looked like she was inches from death, Crowley looked his usual dick self.

"I can beat on you, for eternity." He mumbled in his annoying accent. Meg refrained herself from spitting on him, she was more dignified than to stoop to such cheap tricks.

So she smiled. "Take all the time you want, you pig." She hated how weak her voice sounded. It was then that the sounds of car doors were evident, even Crowley turned his head to see. The Winchester brothers got in but they didn't leave, if Meg could've, she would've yelled at those two imbeciles to have brains and get the hell out of there while they still could. When she noticed who was missing from the car, she felt a twisted sort of glee.

"No Cas in the backseat, your stone is long gone." As Crowley was distracted watching the Winchesters, she made her move. She reached into the waistband of her jeans and with the quickness of a snake she stabbed Crowley with an angel blade.

Crowley's screams delighted her as light shone from his shoulder. Meg pulled out her knife; the squeal of tires was so loud. Well at least those two idiots got enough sense to save their skins. Crowley grabbed her wrist and she caught the metallic glint of a knife. In that short second before it reached her, she was disappointed that she would never see her Clarence again, and hoped that someone would look after him.

_Good luck, Castiel._

But the knife never got to its intended target. But something certainly hit her. She was released from Crowley's grasp as she flew through the air. She cried out as the cold unforgiving ground met her back. Pain exploded on the right side of her body as she heard something crack. Her vision was blurred and dark, yet she heard someone calling her name and grabbing her arms. She resisted until she smelled a familiar scent and realized it was Sam.

"Where's Crowley?" Sam asked Dean. Meg's vision cleared enough to see Dean was next to his car looking around wildly, but once he caught sight of Meg, he stopped.

"You look horrible." Meg let out a little laugh when she saw Deano's shocked expression.

"Let me hit you with a car and see what you look like." She mumbled sarcastically.

Sam helped her to her feet and started walking her to the Impala. Meg let out a groan at the pressure put on her ankle. "Sorry about that." Sam muttered apologetically. "He was gonna kill you." Great defense, Moose.

"I know you boys are a little rusty with saving lives, but this is ridiculous." Dean glared at her but Meg couldn't even get pissed at getting hit by a car. She was physically exhausted and every part of her hurt. She just wanted to curl up with a bottle of whiskey and let the darkness have its way with her.

Sam opened the door to the back seat. Meg lied down on the leather seats with a pained groan. Before the freakishly tall hunter could get her to feel guilty for being bitchy with his soulful eyes, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "Where did Cas fly the Angel Tablet to?" Meg looked up in time to see his look of nervousness and apprehension.

It was then that big brother popped out of nowhere and graced the two of them with his wounded presence. "We don't know."

"What do you mean you 'don't know'"? Meg's voice cracked. She shifted herself into a sitting position to stare at the Winchesters. When she moved, Meg spotted a streak of blood on the black leather.

Dean didn't turn his self righteous fury on her like she expected. But he did get a little fired up at the question. "I mean that we found the Tablet, he beat me around, healed me, then he told me all about how this Naomi chick has been in his head and controlling everything he's been doing since Purgatory, took the Tablet and left."

"Are you telling me that some nosy angel has been pulling our darling Castiel's strings?" The brothers shared a glance which confirmed her fears. "Everything he's been doing has been someone else?" Meg felt a little pain in her heart as she thought of her conversation with him earlier that day. She really should've known something was up, he had been too nice to her.

Dean didn't seem to notice how Meg's heart seemed to crack, but Sam did. Sam gave her a small look of pity. Meg hated his pity. She hardened her expression and her heart. It was time to stop acting like a lovesick little girl.

"Not everything. He was able to snap out of it long enough to explain everything to me and flash out of there with the Angel Tablet." So maybe not everything Castiel did was a lie.

Thank the deadbeat God for Sam Winchester. "We need to head back to the bunker before someone else shows up." Sam made his way into the passenger seat while Dean predictably started up his beloved Impala.

Meg placed her head down on the soft seats. The oldest Winchester would probably exorcise her _again_ when he found all the blood stains. Dean treated this car like it was his child. He treated it better than his own brother sometimes.

Meg gave a little smile before treating herself and shutting her eyes. Her head was pounding and her entire body was aching, an hour or two of oblivion didn't sound so bad.

The soft vibrations of the road shook her petite frame, the movement hurt her wounds, but it was a reminder that she would live another day. The sounds of the Winchesters and their conversation drone on in the background.

She would never admit this, but she was jealous of Sam and Dean and what they had. Those two could communicate with just by looking at each other. The only time Meg had done that was with her father, Azazel, but it was always about destruction and torture, not comfort or worry or something funny. It was always obvious to Meg that the Winchesters would do anything for each other, that even if one of them fucks up bad, they still have each other. Even with her father Meg had never had that. What she had with her father was loyalty out of the mutual desire to survive and kill. Sam and Dean did it out of love.

Meg stared out the window. The stars were little pinpricks of light, but they shined brightly. The gentle breeze of the night blew back the leaves. Meg was all too aware that she could've died tonight, yet she really couldn't bring herself to actually care. If she had no one would've missed her. To everyone else they would be glad to have one less demon in the world.

No one had ever done anything for Meg out of love before. Out of fear and desperation, of course, but love? Never. Creatures like Meg were unlovable, not worthy of receiving such an honor as being loved. Whenever she looked around she saw friends. Friends playing and talking and making connections and sharing interests. Meg wondered what that must be like. The only person she has ever considered to be a true friend was a rebellious flight risk of an angel. And their friendship started when he'd lost his marbles and continued when he was practically the angel version of Pinocchio.

Speaking of Castiel, where was he? Cas doesn't have many allies and the target on his back is bigger than the one on hers. Did he go back to that Naomi chick? Meg certainly hoped not. The thought of someone digging into the head of her Clarence made her a little jealous. Oh the things she would make that boy do if she could….

But that didn't matter. She had to get away from Team Free Will. Crowley with all the fury of Hell was going to fry her bacon. The damn angels were gonna blow her to bits. She really couldn't afford to stay and make pretty talk with the Winchesters, she valued her own life too much. Ever since she teamed up with them she's been shot, kidnapped, and tortured. She's done enough.

For now Meg would go along with their plans, but when she sees the next chance to get away, she will. Last year she managed to get to Europe before Crazy Cas had found her and zapped her back into their harebrained schemes. But this time she didn't think Castiel would care about where his demon went this time. That was good, she couldn't risk being near him, Cas always had a way with screwing with her head. She liked her head clear.

As she was planning her escape route and cringing at her injuries, she didn't notice the way the rumbling of the Impala was gently rocking her to sleep, or how the voices of the Winchesters were almost like a lullaby.

When Meg woke up, she didn't know where she was. For a moment she thought she was back with Crowley's henchmen, waiting for another day of torture. But the scent of sweat and car polish brought her to her senses.

"Hey, wake up! We're here." She wasn't sure where she was, but she's woken up in stranger places. She tried to get herself into a sitting position, but a pained groan stopped her movements. The pain in her side reminded her that she wasn't fine. A quick examination revealed that most of her cuts from yesterday had healed, but the aching soreness, and not to mention the gashes on her arms and back were still there from her year with Crowley, were a reminder of how weak she was.

She had to suck it up and stop acting like a wimp_. _That thought motivated her to get up and get out of the car and join the two.

Dean was pulling a weird looking key out of a small wooden box and stuck it into the door. Dean went in immediately but Sam stopped to look at her.

"Hey Meg, about that unicorn stuff-"

She got up real close to him, well, as close as she could to the tower of a man. "Tell anyone what I told you and you'll have to watch your back, Sammy."

To her mortification, Sam smiled at her like he knew a secret. The worst part was that he actually _did_ know a secret. "You can threaten all you like, but I know the truth. Meg the heartless demon is in love, and with Heaven's most wanted angel. I did _not_ see that coming." Sam's mocking smirk turned into a small genuine smile. She glared and clenched her fists.

"Let's get one thing _straight _here. I am _a demon. _I am not your pet that will come on your beck and call." Anger and shame were very clear in her words. In response, Sam just raised an eyebrow before going though the door.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down before Meg followed him in…..and was amazed. What she walked into was a combination of a top secret headquarters and a library.

"Welcome to the mother load of supernatural knowledge." No shit.

Tables with old fashioned lamps rested on dark wood. Meg wrinkled her nose at the smell of dust, grime and cleaning supplies. Knives and weapons were on display on top of the book shelves. Meg limped down the stairs in wonder and pain, her hands feeling the coolness of the railings. The crypts never looked this nice or cool. Damn, if she knew they had this place, she would've switched sides sooner. She wandered over to the tables and just looked around.

"Sit down and take off your jacket." Sam commanded.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Usually you'd have to buy me dinner first." Sam rolled his eyes while Dean reluctantly handed him a med kit. She was about to tell him to get lost, but her ankle was still hurting.

So she bit her tongue and tried to walk as gracefully as possible to the chair near Sam. Meg shrugged off her leather jacket but left it on her lap, she really didn't like the thought of leaving blood on the table.

Sam turned the chair so that it faced her before sitting down. He reached for her right leg and placed it far enough on his lap that it grazed his hip. Meg felt his warm fingers against her icy skin as he pulled up her pant leg up and begin to bind her ankle with cloth. The pressure of the binding did hurt a little, but oddly enough it was a good kind of hurt.

It only took Sam twenty minutes to clean off the blood on her face, stitch up some gashes, and place bandages to where they were needed. Meg stretched her aching muscles. Sam's work was surprisingly good, I guess you learn a few things when you have a suicidal older brother.

"Thanks, Sam. I needed a tune up."

He sighed. "No problem, Meg." Sam rubbed his temples and pain flashed across his face. Meg stopped her cat-like stretch to study him more carefully. His skin was paler, purple smudges under his eyes and now that he was no longer going at her skin with thread and needle his hands were shaking.

"Don't assume I care, but these trials are getting to you aren't they?" Meg smoothed her face into a mask of uncaring, but on the inside she felt a small twinge of concern. But she squashed that feeling down the moment she felt it.

He coughed into the back of his hand. "Yeah they are, but I can handle it." He seemed to wallow in his own suffering, but then he appeared to realize something. "Wait, hold on. We are going to close the Gates of Hell, shutting away all the demons forever. Why are you helping us?"

Meg breathed out her frustration and walked sat on top of the table. "My reasons are a bit complicated, but I don't mind being sent back home as long as I get to kill Crowley."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

She laughed. Wasn't it obvious what her plans were? "Without Crowley on the throne, there will be a mad dash to fill the seat. A lot of demons will die and there will be a ton confusion on what to do next."

He shook his head. "I still don't understand."

Meg looked at him incredulously. "There aren't many demons as old as myself still around. Even then they'll probably be killed in the battles. Meanwhile, I'll be lying low and slowly gaining alliances. After a few years most of the fighting will have died down and I will come swooping in and become the Queen of Hell. Ta-dah! My master plan!" She gave him a sly smirk.

He smiled and shook his head. "Incredible."

"Of course it is, I came up with it. I won't have to be on the run anymore. You boys are really doing me a favor." She happily shrugged her shoulders.

"That sounds great and all, but there is one flaw in your plan."

"What? Too unrealistic?" Meg knew her plan was foolish and she'd probably get killed, but at least she had a cause waiting for her when she got down there, something to do to make the time speed up, or to put her out of her misery.

"There is that, but once you get locked down there, you'll never see Cas again." Meg wasn't stupid, she knew that would happen. She knew even without her help these boys would find a way and lock her up anyhow. This way she gets a say in the hand that pushes her into the chasm of pain and fear.

But instead of opening herself up a little bit, she snorted. "Why would I care about some doomed angel? Did you not hear me? _Queen of Hell!_" She raised her arms above her head.

Sam shook his head and didn't argue with her.

As much as she hated to admit it, she would miss the tree topper. But since he is currently under angel hypnosis and she has a one way ticket to the Hellfire she was created in, there was no use in crying. But still…..Meg hoped he would be OK without her-

Ugh, hanging around these mopey hunters was turning her soft.

Meg needed a drink. This constant worrying over Castiel and her dismal fate wouldn't make her go crazy if she was so hammered walking naked into a church wouldn't seem like a bad idea.

"Where can a girl like me get herself a drink?" Meg roughly asked Sam.

He turned a sharp eye on her. "If you really want to drown your sorrows, liquor cabinet is that way." He pointed towards a door by one of the staircases. "Once you realize you can't drink yourself into a coma, I'll be here."

Right. Like she needed more agony. She couldn't decide what was worse, the constant scrutiny or the sobriety.

Fuck it. Those two could go build a damn house for all she cared.

Meg put on her dirty jacket and set off to find something that burns her throat.

She opened the door and realized it led into a hallway. Her ankle tingled with discomfort and pain, and this walking wasn't helping. Damn this place was huge, she couldn't find the liquor and every goddamn door looks the same, would it kill them to be more creative with their interior decorating? After a few minutes Meg still couldn't understand the rhyme or reason to the room placements. Wow, this was getting ridiculous.

She was hopelessly lost until she heard the clinking of glass and the sloshing of liquid.

She turned the corner just in time to see Dean walk away with a glass of whiskey. When the coast was clear she went into the room he walked out of.

Whoa. Meg didn't know these two had an entire room dedicated to getting wasted. Around her were shelves and shelves of liquor and alcohol. Rum, wine, beer, tequila, and whiskey. Those were only a few to name. Those Men of Letters must've known how to party. She knew it, she had died and gone to Heaven.

Meg pulled out a bottle of tequila and another of vodka, she looked around to see that no one was watching. These probably wouldn't get her as hammered as she wanted to, but this would definitely take the edge off enough to think less. Meg made a note to take some of their liquor for when she inevitably leaves.

She already had a plan. When her wounds healed and she can walk without feeling pain, she'd disappear. She would take a backpack filled with all the things she needed to survive on the road. Of course she would have to steal cash, a few credit cards and some weapons from the boys, but they wouldn't miss anything too much. But for now, she would play the part of the injured and humble demon. Not too hard, she's a good actress. Mainly because she's possessed one or two in her day.

Meg stumbled out into the hallway outside the room and took a seat. She breathed a sigh before opening up the vodka. She didn't even think, she just pressed the bottle to her lips and poured it down her throat. She barely felt the stinging in her throat, when you spend hundreds of years in Hell, a little burn feels like a warm hug.

After both bottles were drained, she stared into the them, watching the light go through the glass. Meg debated going back to the room to get more tequila, but decided she didn't want to be completely inebriated while within walking distance of the trigger happy Winchesters.

Usually two bottles wouldn't have affected her at all, but her demonic healing was currently focused on other things besides her drugged up brain.

Meg couldn't remember the last time it had taken her to heal from something this long, but then again getting into a fight with the King of Hell and then getting hit by a car has never been a factor in the healing process before. She laughed. Boy, what has she gotten herself into? Too bad Gabriel was dead for real this time, maybe she could've used him somehow to fake her death and get away from all this madness. That would've been nice. Just her alone in some tucked away corner of the world, but when those Gates swallow her and keep her down, that whole death faking thing wouldn't work.

Meg sighed. As much as she was boasting about her plans to rule Hell, she really didn't want to leave this world. This world had good entertainment, actual fucking weather, and of course it had sexy people of all shapes and sizes, not just smoke and horns. She didn't want to give any of that up, but she didn't have a choice.

She didn't like what she was feeling now, that feeling of being backed into a corner. The end was drawing near for her. All she could hope for was a last drink and a roll in the sheets with a certain angel for her last night on Earth.

She mentally kicked herself, she wasn't dying today. She was a demon, an old one, daughter of Azazel and apprentice of Alistair. She wouldn't give up hope just yet. She had to see the light at the end of the tunnel, except for her the light was hellfire.

When Meg started nodding off again, she blamed her injuries. Demons don't usually require sleep, but injured ones probably needed a rest. She hadn't exactly been treating her meatsuit with gentle care except when it came to appearances. Which reminded her…..she was going to kill Crowley slowly and painfully for dyeing her tresses this awful color. First chance she got she would fix the monstrocity that was her hair.

When she came to, she wasn't sure how much time had passed. The empty bottles that had been keeping her company were gone, she was still leaning against the wall in the hallway. She felt well rested and not as sore as she had first expected to feel. She moved her ankle around to find out that it was healed, no more limping for her.

She ripped off the makeshift bandage that was keeping her ankle together off. She left the cloth on the floor. She then ripped off the bandage on her wrist that Castiel had done himself. Her wrist was healed, and not as infected and unappealing as it had been a few days ago. The demonic healing must've finally kicked in. She was healed enough, she could leave.

Meg decided the best way to escape was to first seek them out. She got up on shaky legs and her first step was a stumble, but soon she remembered how to walk and made her way to that big room she had arrived from. It took her awhile to remember which turns to make and to not wind up in some torture chamber or in a Devil's Trap. She finally found the door and walked out into the large library.

Now all she had to do was, oh wait…_There _they are! Her search was long and treacherous but she finally found her heros.

Baby Winchester was shoving his laptop into a backpack while his _not at all homosexual_ brother was loading a handgun. They looked up at the sound of Meg's footsteps.

Dean smiled sarcastically at her as he sloppily waved the handgun at her. "Morning, princess, we have a job for you." Fuck this can't be good.

"Are you gonna tell me what it is or are you gonna continue playing army man with that big boy toy of yours?"

Sam looked back and forth between the two with nervousness. Of course the gentle giant himself would want us all to all get along and be best friends forever! "Remember Kevin?" Oh how could she forget about the squirrely little prophet who had stolen the Leviathan Tablet? "He's been staying by himself in a safe house. Crowley is closing in and he needs someone to look after him-"

Dean cut off his brother. "-and you have experience taking care of head cases while not getting them killed."

Meg took notice of the newspapers scattered about the large table and the open books. While looking at the state the boys were in, it didn't take a professor to put the pieces together. "You two are going on a hunt and you don't want me alone in your fortress of manliness."

Dean shrugged. "Pretty much. This place is kind of a 'no demon's allowed' kind of place. We need you not here by the time we leave."

Meg crossed her arms and stared down at the boys. "I don't want to be here anymore than you do, but what makes you think I'm just gonna drop everything and watch your little friend?"

Dean pointed a finger at her. "Listen here-" Dean probably would've tried putting the fear of God into her, but his lovely little brother was too much of a pacifist to allow fighting.

"We want to make a deal with you." Sam said hurriedly.

She took a step closer to them and raised her eyebrows. "And here I thought you boys were sick of demon deals after Deano's little vacation in Hell, or have you boys forgotten that already?"

"Not that kind of deal. The same deal we made with you when Cas took on my Hell memories. Only this time with Kevin." Sam swallowed, and seemed to plead to her with his eyes.

Meg wasn't sure why, but she'd always had a soft spot for Sam, and those puppy eyes weren't helping. And since she hasn't seen Kevin around, she figured he wasn't in action right now. He wasn't in immidiate danger, but watching him would still grant her the protection of the Winchesters. Best of both worlds right there. Maybe she didn't need to sneak off and run away. "How long will I be babysitting the honor student?"

"Not sure. Try not to kill each other." Dean said, zipping his bag. He swung his backpack over his shoulder and with the duffel bag in his hand he marched off.

Sam sighed and stared after his brother, then back at her. "Come on. We'll drive you there on our way to the job."

It was Meg's turn to sigh. Once again she really didn't have choice in the matter, she was going to have to allow herself to be flung around to wherever the Winchesters felt like throwing her.

In all honesty, Meg was strangely looking forward to leaving this underground prison with the brotherly wardens for a little fun in the real world and maybe she could have some fun, or at least some actual peace, with the young prophet.

Meg walked out of the bunker and into the Impala. The entire drive there, her hand felt most comfortable when it was inside her jacket, fingers tight around her angel blade.


	2. F Is For Friends

She smiled into the mirror. "Now that is much better." Meg mumbled as she wrapped a dark brown curl around her fingertip. Now every trace of her time with Crowley was gone. Even though Meg liked what she saw in the mirror, she was a little taken aback. The vessel looked exactly the same as it had when she was the warden to Castiel's prison of holy fire. She had lost the swelling her face had gained over the years and her body had gotten slender. Maybe it was because she rarely ate. She didn't know the reason and she honestly didn't care, this vessel was temporary for her, and if she really felt unattractive in it she would just ditch it. Simple as that.

She walked out of the bathroom and took a glance at her roommate.

He looked sick. His face was pale and shiny with sweat. His eyes drooped and he looked tired, Meg was all too aware that he only slept three hours a day and barely ate. Meg had even suggested that he slow down a little and take a day off, but he had snapped at her and said that the sooner this was over the sooner he could go back to normal. She didn't have the heart to tell the poor kid that there was no going back for him. He was a prophet and that already put a price on his head, and even if he wasn't, he had already looked behind the curtain and seen the truth about the world, and after that there is no going back. Everyone knew Sam had tried doing that so many times and had failed every time. But Meg had nodded her head and gone back to bouncing a ball up the cold steel walls. If the kid burned himself up with all this translating stuff, it really wouldn't upset her too much. Dumbass did it to himself.

Kevin was bent over a notebook scribbling quickly, notes and books spread around him. The hunk of rock that has been the focus of everyone's attention for months now was in his other hand. The table was a lot like the wall of notes and translations. Meg knew her fair share of languages, but all the stuff scattered throughout the boat house meant nothing to her.

Most of the time Kevin ignored her, he only acknowledged her existence when asking her to hand him something. Meg had been there for a week now, and she was bored. No TV and the stack of trashy magazines ran out and frankly she was getting tired of reading "who wore it better?" She spent most of her time playing with a bouncy ball she had found a few days earlier or going out. She didn't spend too much time away from the boat house because she didn't want to chance the odds of getting recaptured. Usually just a walk near the docks or going to the grocery store was the extent of her activities.

As the thought of that other thing she likes to do with her outings, she decided to look at the clock. It was eleven at night. Perfect.

"Kev, I'm going out, if you're still up by the time I get back I'll knock you out myself." She said as she stopped by the door.

The boy gave her a weak smile. "Have fun." He then returned to reading and forgot her existence. Meg was a little taken aback that he said anything to her at all, but shrugged and closed the door behind her.

After she left Kevin sighed. Kevin had been nightmares about Crowley. He always had those nightmares, it was one of the reasons he slept so little. He wanted to ask Meg if she had those nightmares too, but he was unsure how to. Kevin was also unsure of how to act around her, she was a demon, but she was also protecting him from demons and like him, she had been held captive and tortured and had been abandoned by the Winchesters to fend for herself. If he could talk to anyone about his fears it probably would be her.

But then again he was trying to send her to Hell, so he was trying to not get too attached to the demon. Demon, that's what she was, she wasn't the pretty brunette she was possessing. He tried getting himself angry at her by reminding himself that she was just like the creature that had possessed his mother and had made his life agony. He sighed again, he couldn't get mad at her, just because she was the same species as something doesn't make her guilty.

He knew she has tortured and killed many people over so many years, but he honestly felt like she could identify what he was going through more than Sam and Dean

He went back to the tablet and banished all thoughts of his strange roommate.

Outside, Meg was walking further and further away from the docks. The fresh air was a relief after so long in that dirty hovel Kevin has been stewing in for months. Even though the fresh air kinda smelled like fish, she couldn't find herself to care.

She left the marina and through the almost barren parking lot. She crossed the street to the bar. When she got in, people were crowding by the TVs watching some game. College students made up most of the patrons, but Meg spotted a few much older men eyeing a group of young women taking shots at a booth.

Meg always loved bars. The gluttony, the lust, the envy, all the sin was delicious to her. It never failed to raise her spirits a little to drink it all in, and even get a little tipsy herself. She wondered if angels were ever drawn to churches. Meg smiled. Hearing priests praising them and seeing artwork about themselves was probably a huge ego boost for the cloud hoppers.

Meg sat at the bar and waited for the bartender to notice her. The place seemed to be having a good night, it was filled with half drunken customers but not too crowded.

The people at the TVs cheered. Meg figured their team had scored a goal or hit a home run or something. She really didn't know, sports never interested her, pop culture and the media on the other hand always fascinated her. Seriously, how could millions of people put so much importance on the lives of good looking actors and singers with no talent?

"What would you like to drink, miss?" The bartender asked her, wiping down the bar where someone had spilled some beer earlier.

"Scotch." The bartender nodded and got out a glass and filled it with amber liquid from a bottle, when she started to take it away Meg put her hand up. "Leave the bottle." The bartender did as she said and left to attend to the group of sports fans.

Meg stared off into the distance and tried to keep her mind on where she was and what she was drinking instead of on her growing list of problems. Damn, if Lucifer could see her now, he'd be disappointed in her. Hell, even she was disappointed in herself. Working with the Winchesters, getting Hell closed for business, and craving the company of an angel. Whatever the demon equivalent of an angel falling was, that was her.

She knocked back the glass and emptied it in one gulp. What was she even doing here? The alcohol wouldn't get her wasted, she didn't want to socialize with any of the drunken sports fans, so what was she doing in a bar filled with talkative humans?

"So what brings you here by yourself?" Speaking of talkative humans, the bartender had made her way back to her, wiping a shot glass clean with a wet rag.

Meg wasn't in the mood to talk, in fact she was thinking about leaving. She slowly raised her eyes to look at the bartender with a dark stare. "What led you to serve drinks across the street from a marina?"

The young woman shrugged. "It helps pay the rent. But you, my dear, didn't answer my question." The bartender gave her an accusing stare.

Meg smiled. "My roommate is driving me crazy and I have nowhere to go."

The young woman chuckled, her dark red lips pulling up at the corners. "That sucks for you. Drink up, it helps with the crazy."

Meg wasn't sure how, but she was enjoying talking to this woman. When Meg was in her big and bad days, she would've enjoyed possessing her. The bartender had these pretty green eyes and the very tips of her hair were dyed blond. But unfortunately for now she was stuck in the petite actress.

"I'm Roxie, and if you don't tell me your name I'm going to make something up." Roxie looked Meg up and down with studying expression. "How about 'Abby'?"

"How about 'Meg'?" She took a long sip from the scotch bottle.

Roxie smiled again. "Meg. I like it."

"I didn't at first, but it grew on me."

"So, Meg, are you from around here?"

Meg shrugged. "I'm just staying until I can get outta dodge. Then I'll be somewhere far away." Really, really far away.

The bartender made a sound that conveyed her envy. "Lucky. I'm here 'till pigs fly. But hey, good for you. I hear Mexico is lovely this time of year." Meg almost laughed. 'Lucky', yeah right.

Mexico. Meg would love to be hiding in some beach in Mexico, but she knew that wasn't gonna happen anytime soon. She still had to make sure the prophet didn't give himself a heart attack from all this tablet business. The poor son of a bitch didn't even have the entire thing. Who knows how fast his mind would deteriorate if he had the rest of the Demon Tablet….

Anyways, what happened to the prophet's mind was none of her business as long as he didn't kick the bucket. Maybe if he went bonkers they wouldn't be able to drag her to Hell. Maybe.

Meg looked up and realized that Roxie was pouring shots for some college co-eds in colored jean shorts. Meg was surprised to realize that she was wishing the young bartender would come back and continue their conversation.

Crap, no, not again. This was how it started with Castiel. She didn't want to get attached to anyone, especially now. She hadn't seen Cas in over a week and she would never admit that she ached to see him again.

Meg slammed some money down and left as fast as she could. She had been going to that bar for a few days now, why the bartender wanted to talk to her now she didn't understand.

Meg would've gladly walked back to the house boat and forget all about Roxie if only she hadn't realized what she was potentially giving up. There was someone in that bar who didn't want to kill her or torture her for information. When would be the next time that happened?

Oh fuck it, she didn't have much time left, a few months at most. She might as well cross something off her bucket list.

She sighed and practically stomped her foot before going back inside and reclaiming her seat at the bar.

Roxie laughed. "Long time no see, stranger. It's been so long I barely recognize you."

Meg grinned. "That's cute. I bet you tell that to all the girls." Roxie chuckled and poured Meg a shot.

Roxie twisted her face into a sinister expression. "Speaking of….I have been curious of one thing about you."

Meg grew a little uneasy, but at least she wasn't getting tortured. "Seeing as I'm all liquored up I don't see how that would be a problem." She lifted her shot glass and downed it in one gulp.

Roxie narrowed her eyes at her and leaned forward. "I'm bored and looking for a good story. So what's their name?"

"Tell me, Roxie, am I really that obvious?"

"Usually pretty girls like yourself either come in here with friends or they troll for sexual partners. Almost everyday you show up here and drink by your lonesome. That can only mean one thing. So what is their name?"

Girl talk. Huh. This was surely new, confiding in another person about what was biting them in the ass. Might as well give it a shot. "Clarence."

Roxie pointed a finger at Meg. "I knew it. Now tell me all about this Casanova."

Casanova? That was perhaps the worst description for Castiel. When it came to sexual prowess, he was an awkward virgin at best, that's what made flirting with him fun. "He's my angel, but our….._fields of work _are making it impossible. To top it all he hasn't exactly been himself since his boss started messing with his head." Meg almost laughed at her human version of all the crap going on.

"Oh! Office romance, how steamy! But hon, that really does suck and if he really is your angel, then he'll come around."

Meg gave the human woman a grin in gratitude for her empathy and consideration. "Thanks, Roxie, that means a lot." Maybe before she goes back downstairs she could do her cloud hopper a favor and take care of Naomi for him. She helped him with his noodle once, she'll do it again.

"Hey, no problem, you give me money and I give you booze and a therapy session. It's all part of the job."

"Sounds like a boring job." Meg was a little uncomfortable at how easy it was to have a pleasant and platonic conversation. She should probably cool this off.

"It can be." Roxie checked her watch. "Speaking of, my shift is almost over and I have to get home so I can catch up on my sleep. But, hey, this was fun and you seem really cool. We should hang out."

Was she being asked to spend more time with this human? Does that mean they were friends? That was fast and Meg wasn't sure what to say.

Scratch that, she knew exactly what to say. "That sounds great, if my roommate doesn't need a babysitter, I could manage to steal an hour or two tomorrow if you have a shift."

Roxie beamed at her. "That's great! I'll see you tomorrow then!"

Meg watched her new friend gather her belongings and hurry out of the establishment before waving goodbye to Meg.

She stayed in their for about an hour. The balding man that took over for Roxie wasn't as talkative or pleasant like his younger coworker, and the smell of vomit and lowered inhibitions was getting to her.

It was almost one in the morning when she got back to the boat house. She started to open the door when it flew open for her. Water splashed and burned her face as smoky tendrils wafted up from her body.

She screamed in fury and pain. "Dammit, Kevin! Do you even look before you spray?" The burn of the holy water stopped after a few seconds and the steam cleared, but her annoyance didn't.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting that holy water hurts you." Kevin apologized as he put the water gun down and stepped aside to let her in.

Kevin forgot every time, and every time Meg had to remind herself not to snap his neck. She was starting to regret letting the Winchesters take her here. She would've preferred lying low.

"And what are you doing still up?" Meg was all too aware how much she sounded like a disapproving mother.

"I think I almost have the translation for the second trial done."

Meg didn't have as much time as she thought. Maybe she should ditch the kid and spend the rest of her days in Vegas. She could call Clarence down with her make him blush taking him to see some showgirls. Yeah he's a total Casanova.

Meg picked up the rubber bouncy ball and took a seat by the window. "Well cookie for you, but those eyes of yours are gonna fry out of your head if you don't give them a rest every once in a while."

Kevin gave her a sleepy smile. "Goodnight, Meg."

Meg didn't respond as she threw the ball to the ground and watched it bounce back up. Meg was so bored being in this shack with a half crazed prophet that her main source of entertainment was a piece of rubber demonstrate Newton's 3rd Law.

The lights went off and Meg stopped bouncing her ball. Kevin was a bit of a light sleeper, if she made too much noise he'd be up all night and even crazier in the morning. When Sam checks in she didn't want them rethinking not killing her.

To waste some time she walked around the small room, careful to not make too much noise, and checked the wards.

They had used Meg's own blood for the demon wards so they wouldn't affect her, and Meg had gotten a little dizzy because there were a _lot _of demon wards. Hex bags were scattered throughout random places of the boat to keep themselves safe from prying eyes. Meg checked the wards, they were fully functioning and they better be, because Dean had looked a little too happy cutting into her and finger painting with her blood.

There was a Devil's Trap right over the ceiling of Kevin's notes, so she stayed away from there as she made her round. She checked a few hex bags next. No holes in the fabric keeping all the miscellaneous ingredients together. Meg wasn't sure how she became a demon, but she was sure as Hell that she didn't start out as a witch. That might've been good enough for Ruby, but Meg had more self respect than that.

After checking all the wards several times, she wound up sitting by the window, she couldn't feel the wind, but she could still smell the scents it carried and feel how it rocked the ship ever so softly. Meg wasn't entirely sure when she dozed off, but the next thing she knew that damn alarm clock went off. Meg had already smashed the alarm clock Kevin had originally had when the Winchesters dropped her off for babysitting, and she wasn't afraid to get rid of another one.

Meg's peaceful mood was ripped from her as Kevin started his routine. It was almost the same thing everyday. Brush teeth. Shower. Eat breakfast. Go blind from staring at a magical rock all day. Sometimes small details changed but it was usually the same thing every time.

The boredom was killing her more than anything. At least when she was Nurse Masters she had Crazy Cas to keep her on her feet with all that bee talk and weird poetic crap he was spewing out of his fried noodle.

The other day she got so bored that she thought about cleaning. Cleaning. Enough said that staying with Kevin in this boat was screwing with her mind more than her year with Crowley.

The next time she would talk to the Winchesters, she would tell them she had to ditch. She could go after the angel that the boys seemed to have forgotten about. A certain pizza party was long overdue.

Meg wanted to stick around but every instinct was pulling her towards the door. These guys didn't need her. They were the Winchesters and they always persevere with the power of self loathing and unhealthy co-dependency and blah blah blah. She could leave anytime, it wasn't like they would go after her and she wasn't top priority on Crowley's list, she could avoid being another one of the people that get used up by the Winchesters and left for dead.

She rolled the thoughts around her mind, and knew she would be fine on her own. She didn't want to just leave Kevin alone here, that wouldn't help her at all in not trying to get killed.

Besides she couldn't leave just yet, she had to meet Roxie at the bar later. She was curious on how to keep up a conversation with someone without threats or sexual innuendos. She had done fine the previous night, but the conversation was pretty standard.

Then after she gets that curiosity out of her system she can go back to what she does best. Meg could probably be able to find a few Crowley loyalists to trap and torture. If she couldn't get any information from them, then their screams would have to satisfy her. A smile crept up her face as she imagined her angel blade cutting through bone and flesh as begs and pleads came pouring out of them as easily as blood.

Kevin ignored her as he did his work, and Meg reread some old fashion magazines to pass the time. The glossy pages were cool to the touch and the edges were sharp. Meg wondered how many paper cuts she could inflict before someone could bleed out. She wasn't a doctor and even though she had played the naughty nurse for Castiel she didn't know a thing about actual medical stuff.

Kevin tapped his finger on the table repeatedly as he stared at the tablet. His lips were moving and mouthing words that Meg couldn't hear and his eyes were bloodshot for not blinking often enough. Meg tried reading more of her magazine and tried to block out the noise, but she was never known for her tolerance.

"Well, my dear prophet, if you don't stop that I'm going to pull a Crowley and take another one of your fingers." Kevin froze and so did his doomed fingers, he looked up and gave her an annoyed look.

"If you keep interrupting I'll pull a Winchester and exorcise you."

Meg gave a chilling mockery of a smile as she picked up her magazine. "Go ahead and let's see what's faster: my knife or you." She continued reading but she could still make out the sound of him swallowing before gripping his hands under the table. Oh yeah, she still had it.

That was how she spent her morning, silently threatening the sleep deprived honor student with glares whenever he made the poor decision of taking glances at her. She knew she could strike into the hearts of anyone but seriously why did he have to constantly check up on her to make sure she isn't throwing knives at his throat?

She was drawing smiley faces and finger drawn figures on the window with the condensation. She had made little mockery cartoons on the adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle featuring Clarence, she smiled at her own little joke and really wished the sketches would last so she could piss off Dean.

"Seriously?" OK so meanwhile she could annoy the prophet. She couldn't allow herself to get rusty.

She smiled darkly at him. "Don't get jealous, Kev, you're in there too!" She pointed to a drawing of a stick figure with X's for eyes hanging from a tree by its neck.

Kevin's disgusted look just made her day. "Real mature, Meg."

She stuck her tongue at him. "Jealous of my creativity?"

Meg wasn't sure when Kevin regained his balls, but it was sure more entertaining than him cowering in the corner, no matter how much she liked that ability. A new adversary was always great. She needed a side project while she waited for her opportunity to gank Crowley.

"I'm more disturbed than impressed."

Meg opened her dark pink mouth to make a witty response when she felt the soft shift in the air. All the sudden everything felt…..cleaner.

The instant she felt it, her nerves were set on edge and the adrenaline began to pump through her vessel. It could only mean one thing: there was an angel nearby.

The boat wasn't warded against angels and if any could somehow sniff them out, they were screwed. Meg was strong, but even she couldn't last long with an angel.

She got up from her seat by the window and grabbed the angel blade on Kevin's table.

He looked at her in alarm. "Meg, what's going on?" Kevin looked around them as if to see a hoard of demons behind him.

The only demon in the room shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm gonna find out." She smiled and waved the angel blade. "I might finally get the chance to use this. Don't wait up." She really didn't want to comfort him so before he could say anything she blinked out.

Kevin looked at the spot Meg was. If she didn't come back, what would he do? In case his demon bodyguard didn't show, he had to prepare himself. He quickly got up to get the holy oil Molotov cocktail and pulled out the lighter from his pocket. He crouched into the closet and kept the door partially open. If anyone came into the boat house, he'd have the element of surprise.

The angel scent got stronger when she appeared next to a gas station. The cool air that should've stunk up the joint with gasoline was laced with something similar to bleach. Meg was close enough to the scent to know where it was originating from, but she was far away from the angel so that it wouldn't be able to feel her out unless it was looking. Her unclean demon scent would be covered by gasoline and fast food.

She looked across the street from the building and was instantly confused. The bright red sign proclaiming the name was shiny from its new looking paint job. People walked in and walked out casually, some more obese than others. The teenagers walking out covered their eyes, not used to the sunlight. The grease and oils were thick and surrounding the place, but the scent that was cleaning up the air like the world's best cleaning solution was clear from where she was standing.

Angels didn't need to eat, Meg knew that. Even if they did she had always thought they were vegans, 'God's creatures are sacred' and all that crap they didn't follow but preached and not to mention all the fetish-like importance they put on purity. Meg knew she was looking at a fast food restaurant. As far from vegan as you could get, and here she was a demon. As far from pure as you could get.

Of all the places to find an angel, Meg was really hoping it would be a strip joint. She was oddly disappointed, but intrigued nonetheless of where she had found this cloud hopper.

"I didn't know angels got the munchies." She whispered almost sarcastically to herself.

But seriously, what would an angel be doing at a Biggerson's?


	3. I'm Lovin' It

**I'd like to thank everyone for reviewing and favoriting this story! This chapter was my fav to write and I hope you all enjoy it.**

* * *

This was the third Biggerson's he'd been to in the past 24 hours. Castiel had lost count on how many he's been to since leaving Dean at the crypts, but he knew it was a lot.

The faces and names of the wait staff seemed to blur. He couldn't keep track of them all. The angel checked the time on the cell phone Sam had given him. He had been there for 2 hours and three cups of coffee. Castiel would have to leave before the angels tracked him down or Crowley for that matter.

Crowley wanted the Angel Tablet. It wasn't that hard to deduct from the wounds the angel himself had bandaged on Meg's wrist. It was obvious that Crowley had tortured Meg to find the crypts, and therefore find the Angel Tablet. Castiel couldn't read the tablet, especially now since it was inside his vessel. If the Demon Tablet could seal the Gates of Hell, what could the Angel Tablet do? Castiel didn't want to know. He had to find a place hidden and remote to stash it or he'd have to destroy it. Letting Naomi get her hands on it was not an option.

Now that whatever influence Naomi had on him was gone because of the tablet, it would remain in his vessel to keep his mind his own.

When Castiel took a deep breath, he smelled it. Sulfur. Before he could he flash out of there or even think of smiting the demon, she sat down on the other side of his table.

Meg looked better than the last time he saw her, her wounds were healed and she was wearing clean clothes. She looked just as healthy and powerful as she did in Carthage. He instantly relaxed once he realized it was just his old caretaker.

"Look who we have here." His friend gave him a smirk. "What are you doing, Clarence? You got the troops all worried over where their angel pet is." Her casual expression turned serious as she gazed at him.

He looked down at his brown drink as he spoke to her. "I am hiding. And I'm sure the….._troops_ are fine without me."

She chuckled. Castiel knew the demon wasn't laughing out of happiness, but he still liked the way it lit up her vessel's face. "Cas, Cas, Cas, you aren't hiding very well. I could sniff you out a mile away." She looked around the eating establishment with an aura of disapproval. "Fast food. Back in my day, fast food was picking berries, and half the time they were poisoned." She smiled before observing him. Castiel was unsure of what sort of game Meg was playing with him, but it was always some sort of game when it came to his thorny ally.

"How exactly did you 'sniff me out'?" If Meg could find him so easily, then surely Naomi could find him.

She shrugged. "I felt an angel, and I checked it out. Imagine my surprise when I found you, Castiel." She grabbed his cup and took a sip. "Yuck." She made a face before setting it down. "Cold coffee."

"Well it has been sitting there awhile." Meg seemed to forget about the coffee instantly as she stared at him in a way that made him nervous. He never knew what to do or how to act when she did that, so Castiel looked around slowly to see if there were any other demons or angels nearby.

"If you don't want to be sniffed out by other demons, I could rub myself against you." Castiel turned his head to look at her, wondering if she was being serious or if this was part of the game.

Castiel shook his head. "No, I don't think that would work." He tried thinking of the right words for this conversation and hoped he got it correct. "If you're referring to our last conversation when you asked me to 'move furniture around with you', I don't think now is the time."

Her seductive smile turned to one of victory. "You would've said yes." She said slowly.

The angel looked at the demon and saw her true form, thorns and all, and was staring at her true face as he spoke. "I can't deny that I find you very attractive." Meg gave a sound of appreciation at his compliment. "You and I do have an interesting history and I trust you with my life despite that you're a demon." Meg stopped smiling and her almost smug look was replaced by confusion. "If Dean hadn't interrupted I would've said yes, but now is not the time and it's not the place."

Meg's smile returned. "That's too bad. But you know what I don't have the time to do? Listen to you talk about our personal lives when I asked you what the hell you think you're doing running off from the Winchesters. So explain to me what you're doing here."

He sighed. His distraction hadn't worked. "There is this angel-"

"Naomi. I know, Dean told us."

It really shouldn't have surprised him that Dean had informed them. "What she was using to control me stopped working when I touched the tablet. I am keeping it and myself safe."

She wasn't even fazed. "So what's with your little burger run?" His demon friend asked, gesturing to the fast food restaurant they were in.

"It's so the angels don't find me. There are so many Biggerson's in this country that it will be very difficult to pinpoint which of these places I'm in. As long as I keep 'zapping' myself to a different Biggerson's every few hours-"

"Your bacon doesn't get fried." He nodded. "I'm impressed, Castiel. That's stupidly simple, but it just might work." He checked the time on his phone again. "You have to leave soon, don't you?"

Crystal blue eyes met dark brown ones. "Unfortunately this conversation has to be cut short. It was nice seeing you."

Meg got up from her chair and went to his side. "Then I guess it's time I make my exit. I'll see you soon, Clarence." Meg bent down and pressed her lips to his. His grace went into alert mode at having a demon so near him, but he got that under control after getting over the initial shock. The angel pressed his mouth more firmly to the demon's as he put his fingers through her hair. Her lips were as soft as he remembered, and he welcomed the taste of sulfur that came with it.

Before he knew it, she got back up from her position and walked out of the Biggerson's. The bite of sulfur became more like a nibble. His loneliness came back as soon as she left, and he wondered if maybe he should go after her.

"I'll have what he's having." Castiel heard a waiter say to his friend.

Castiel felt Meg blink out and go back to wherever she'd been before. His warm mouth was still throbbing as he threw some money on the table and zapped himself to another Biggerson's. Whatever game they had been playing, Castiel felt like he had lost.

* * *

Writers' block has always been troubling for him. First you can't think of what to come next, then you don't know how to put it into words, and finally you second guess yourself until you just delete the whole thing. He was already rethinking his latest rewrite.

Chuck wasn't sure why he decided to let Meg live. He figured it was nostalgia. The demon had done some horrible things, but she had been there from the start and whenever she was around there was never a dull moment. It didn't hurt that even though she was introduced as a villain, lately her character has been seen as redeemable. Fortunately for him it seemed the way she was going to be redeemed was through Castiel.

Chuck sifted through his notes for events yet to come. He rubbed his hands through his hair as he sighed. Once again he was gonna put one of his children through the wringer. He tried not to let it get to him, but that's what Meg was there for. One of the reasons he had saved the life of one of his favorite characters was because she was still needed, still had use.

Castiel was about to go through a lot of crap, he was going to need someone to look after him, take care of him and protect him from angels and demons alike. Who was better for that role than Meg? He initially thought of Dean and Sam filling in the role of caretaker, but Chuck needed them on the road to do what they do best. Saving people and hunting things was their family business after all. They had already proved that they were incapable for the job when they left him at the mental hospital.

He looked over what he had written for the third trial. The boys weren't going to stop until they were completed. Until all the demons were thrown back into the Pit with nowhere to go.

Chuck hated how his beloved creations were twisted and burnt into horrible mockeries of their original forms, but the Gates couldn't close yet. Chuck hadn't yet wrote in about the Gates closing, but he knew that this wasn't time, and that Sam and Dean weren't the people to do it. And if the Gates were closed, they'd suck in the demon he had decided would stick around and help Castiel. But how to get them to stop?

* * *

Meg's heels clicked on the sidewalk, making their own music as she went to meet her newfound friend. The wind was cold, but it didn't affect her at all except that it blew her hair back. Distant noises trickled through her attention, no matter how loud they were, they couldn't distract her from her thoughts. Her feeling of cleanliness seemed to fade as more time passed since their kiss. She had missed that feeling. Kissing an angel was like kissing a bleach bottle. A sexy and surprisingly passionate bleach bottle.

She kept thinking about how she left things with Castiel. It was stupid, really. He was an angel probably billions of years old who has died about three times and is still walking, but she couldn't help but wonder if maybe she should've insisted on going with him to the Emerald City to hide the ruby slippers.

Fuck it. She was gonna have a good time with a fun person and she was gonna get her mind off of him. If she did think of him, it would only be in the sexual sense, that she could handle and not all the human like crap filled emotions.

She crossed the street into oncoming traffic and was met with blaring horns as a car skidded to a stop. Ah, mayhem, now that was always best for getting certain things off her mind. She gave the driver her middle finger and her best mocking laugh until she hit the sidewalk.

Meg didn't look back to see the driver finally drive off into the lack of sunset as she made it to the bar. Sounds of drunken laughter and glasses clinking hit her when she opened the door. Her eyes instantly went to the bartender. Instead of a dark haired beauty with tip dyed hair she saw a mature woman with tattoos going up and down her arms. At first she thought she'd been stood up, but then she took a glance at the bar.

"There you are! C'mon let's get outta here." Roxie shot up from her barstool and rushed at Meg. Meg thought it a bit strange at how enthusiastic she seemed, but maybe Roxie was always like this.

The young woman grabbed Meg by her wrist and walked her out of the bar. The night air flowed through them and Meg wondered what the odds of running into that angry driver were.

"Where are we going?"

Roxie gave her a backwards glance, her smile was slow and almost sickeningly with how sweet it was. "I wanted to get to know you better and that's hard to do with drunken assholes trying to look down your shirt."

Meg laughed. "True, but where are we heading off to?"

Roxie stopped dragging Meg to observe her. "How opposed are you to breaking the law?"

Who was this chick? "Oh Sugerbear, I thought you'd never ask." Meg said in her dulcet tones as she shook her head.

Roxie threw her head back to the stars. "We are going to have such fun tonight."

"Isn't that the plan?" Meg mumbled. Her demon senses prickled at the edges of her mind, but she drowned them out as best she could with the thoughts of seeing where this thing with Roxie was going and then maybe later getting Kevin drunk and watching some old movies with him. That boy needed a break and this passive aggressive babysitting crap was getting to her. Before she had left she had to reassure him that no one was going to get him and he even tried asking if maybe she could not go out and stay in with him. After threatening him with nothing but her black eyes he had swallowed loudly and didn't mention anything else about her spending the rest of her night trying to break her record of how many times she could bounce the ball in a row without dropping it.

"So tell me more about yourself, Meg. I feel like I hardly know you." They had gotten out of the neighborhood and into a more industrial part of the town. Three story buildings rose around them and some proclaimed what businesses they carried inside, they held Meg's attention for a moment before turning it back to the excited bartender.

"What do you wanna know?"

Roxie lifted her athletic shoulders in a small shrug. "I am curious about your coworkers. Tell me about them. What are their names?"

"Their names? Why would you want to know about them?" Meg's instincts perked up. Something wasn't right with all these strange questions. But Roxie was just some human bartender, she couldn't have any ulterior motives. Knowing a name or two couldn't backfire on her.

Roxie led her to a not so nice part of town. Women in fishnet stockings and red high heels were leaning into car windows and jumpy looking teens in hoods were pressed together suspiciously in an alley. Normally Meg would've stopped to drink in all the tender goodness of the lust and gluttony, but she was getting excited on where she was being taken and didn't think it would be nice to just ditch Roxie.

"I am just wondering, wanted to get to know you better. C'mon, we aren't too far."

"Too far from what?"

Roxie stopped walking when they got to an old rundown building. A big foreclosure sign was on the door that was off its hinges. Roxie walked right into the building without hesitation. She stopped to challenge Meg with her eyes before going farther into the building. Meg was intrigued, things always got interesting when abandoned buildings were involved.

Meg climbed over the door after the young woman. Graffiti decorated the walls and dirt coated the floor. At first the writings on the wall were nothing to her, until she recognized a few of them and noticed how fresh the graffiti was.

"Huh." Meg mumbled.

"What?" Roxie didn't look back as she wandered farther into the building. Meg followed her, walking as close behind her as possible.

"Nothing. This place looks cool, that's all."

Roxie's posture stiffened. "Yeah it is." She then returned to her previous excited state. "You and I are gonna have fun tonight."

Meg tilted her back slightly and gave a laugh. "Just you wait." Roxie looked up and then stopped walking to see where Meg had stopped. Meg didn't need to look up, she could feel it already.

"I just realized that you know nothing about me. Allow me to introduce myself." Roxie glared at the demon with pure hatred. Meg gave her oh so dearest friend a smile she used to give the Winchesters when she was in that annoying blond girl.

"My name is Roxanne Harvelle, and you killed my aunt and my cousin." She spat out the words like they were poison in her mouth. Meg fed off her anger as endorphins bled into the demon's system.

"If your next words are 'prepare to die' I'll slit your throat, you poor child."

Roxie scoffed. "Look where you're standing! I don't think you are in a position to make threats."

The demon's eyes turned black and she tilted her head at the hunter. "I'm in a Devil's Trap. Shocker. Is this the part where you tell me your heartbreaking childhood? I'm in the mood for a good bedtime story." The demon walked slowly within the boundaries of her confinements.

Roxie reached into her back pocket and pulled out an angel blade. Things just got a lot more serious. The demon almost jumped in excitement and had to remind herself not to give anything away.

The angry hunter pointed the blade at her. "It took me four years to track you down, Meg. You were hard to find." The hunter walked deathly close to the Devil's Trap, so close that if the demon wished she could've pulled the hunter in the trap with her.

The demon bided her time. She wanted to hear what the hunter had to say, and Meg knew that the hunter was expecting her to pull her in, and the demon wouldn't be baited so easily. But she would enjoy herself while she could. "You gave yourself away by the finger painting on the walls back there, did you think I wouldn't recognize those symbols?"

The hunter ignored Meg's taunt as she lost herself in her bloodlust. "You took pleasure in their deaths, didn't you? You filthy soulless demon." Roxie spat at her. The hunter's captive just stared back at her unflinching.

"I technically didn't kill them. They killed themselves." Meg chimed in with a smirk.

The hunter screamed and tried to take a swipe at Meg, but she dodged the strike and Roxie calmed herself down enough. The demon figured that the hunter wanted this to last.

"Think about it. I sent my dogs after them, one was about to slice into Deano, then the little blond girl had to play hero and got herself into a bad situation. If she'd let the dog get Dean he would've died, but the angels would've brought him back and she would've lived." The demon smiled at Roxie, baring her teeth in a mocking leer. "Auntie on the other hand, she was fine, but she had the genius idea to blow herself up and at the same time killing my _precious hounds_. They got themselves killed." She pointed a finger at Roxie. "All I did was supply the dogs. So I got no satisfaction." She shrugged.

"You _bitch!_ You shut your mouth. You aren't even _human_, I am going to rip out your lying tongue and watch you beg for mercy." Roxie's face twisted into a mask of insanity.

"Oh please, you think you're the first bitter hunter to try to gank me. The Winchesters might've gotten lucky that one time, but I highly doubt one crazy human is gonna do it for me." The brunette demon got as close to Roxie as she could, so close their faces were inches apart. "As for the torture I'd like to see you try. Alistair had me on his rack for centuries and you think that you can have me squirming at your first chance at torture. You are just _adorable_." Meg's dulcet tones crawled around the room.

The hunter tried to hide it, but Meg could see the goose bumps rising on the back of the young woman's neck. The stuttering heartbeat was audible to the demon's sensitive ears. Meg was reminded of a toddler trying to impress her mommy. "I guess I'll have to practice on you." Oh damn Meg was _really _scared now. Who would save the demon from the _all so mighty human_?

"Oh Roxie." Meg took a step back. "Roxie, Roxie." The demon said while smiling and shaking her head. "I really like that knife you have. Those are surprisingly easy to come by if you know the right guy, with all those tree toppers dying and all." She shrugged. "I don't know how you got your blade." She looked up and saw the perimeters of the Devil's Trap. "But I certainly know where I got mine."

Roxie didn't seem to understand what Meg was implying until Meg's smile deepened and she started laughing.

"So what? You can't do much when you're in there and I'm out here." Roxie said as if to reassure herself.

The demon reached into her waistband and pulled out the angel blade she had nabbed from Castiel after she was rescued by him and the Winchesters from Crowley. Meg weighed it in her hands and appeared to be studying it. "True. You are safe as long as I stay trapped in here, but you really shouldn't have picked such a rickety building."

Meg threw her angel blade into the ceiling right on the line of the Devil's Trap. The ceiling cracked and pieces of concrete and gravel fell as the Devil's Trap was destroyed in front of their eyes. The hunter's eyes widened. "Oh c'mon Roxie, even the Winchesters had enough sense to trap me in a place that wasn't falling apart at the seams. Nice try, though."

Roxie sprinted as fast as she could out of the building. Meg clenched her hand into a fist and with her demonic power Roxie fell in a heap on the floor, coughing up blood. The demon walked over the rubble around her to get to the hunter. Roxie tried getting up, but Meg pushed her back to the floor and straddled Roxie around the hips.

"Please! Please don't!" Roxie pleaded, all traces of anger gone from her.

"But you offered to show me all your torture skills. It's only fair that I show you all I know, for educational purposes." The demon whispered delightfully.

"Meg, no!" The demon wasn't sympathetic to the girl who had just tried to kill her. The demon ripped off a piece of the hunter's shirt long enough to gag her. As much as the demon loved to hear screams, Roxie's pleading voice was just too damn annoying.

"Killing a regular demon is hard enough for a group of hunters, but you took on someone powerful enough to make the King of Hell beg for mercy all by yourself. Did you really think your anger alone would get you revenge?" Roxie squirmed and thrashed but Meg had her good and pinned.

The demon got the hunter's wrists caught in one hand as she reached for Roxie's angel blade.

"I knew today was gonna be a good day, but between getting some lip action from my angel toy and now this, I don't see how life can get any better."

The demon made her first cut into her ear. Roxie tried her best to not scream, but her shaking gave her away.

"You are so lucky, it's been quite awhile since the last time I stuck my sword into someone." Meg smiled. "About time I get back into it. Today you, tomorrow Crowley."

* * *

"Kevin. Kevin. I know what you're up to….." The prophet's eyes open and he sits up in his bed alarmed. "Working with them, those Winchesters. Dead end, Kevin." Kevin flies out of bed as he looks around desperate to find the source of the voice. "Not here. Not here either. Give up." Kevin drops to look under his bed, but no Crowley there either. "I'm in your head, as well as everywhere else. Last time you irked me, you lost a finger. Imagine what will happen this time." He held up his arm only to reveal a bloody stump. He screamed in horror. Suddenly a loud crack rings through the air and Kevin finds himself on the ground with his legs nothing but bloody stumps.

* * *

Meg walked across the street back to where the boat was. She had hidden her angel blade back to where she usually hid it in her waistband. The second blade that she'd stolen from the botched revenge attempt was in her heeled boot. Meg wasn't sure what she was gonna do with two of them now, but she knew it was better to take it rather than leave it for someone else to take it, maybe later she could use it to barter with other demons. Meg had wiped the blood off the blade on Roxie's jeans. Meg didn't know how when she had left the boat earlier, but Roxie did give her a good night.

Alistair had treated torture like it was therapy, an ideal that Meg had inherited. All the bad feelings you felt, channel them into inflicting pain into others. The question of what to do after the bad feelings fade away has never been a question, because they never go away. Tonight Meg had spent the past several hours proving that theory. It was still dark but it wouldn't be for long.

She was walking down the steps to the door of the boat house, when she heard the distinct sound of male screaming.

In a heartbeat she was practically tearing the door off and rushing inside. Kevin was on his knees breathing hard and staring at his hands in disbelief. She quickly searched the room and found that the prophet was alone.

"Whatever you're on, I want double." Meg muttered darkly to him. She was glad that the Winchesters weren't gonna have her head for failing to keep Kevin from offing himself.

Kevin got up and stared at her. "Crowley was here." He breathed.

Meg looked around in alarm, ready for a fight. "Where?"

"In my head."

Meg's eyes told him 'are you fucking kidding me?' and she dropped her fighting stance. "In your head?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I translated the second trial and he wants to know what it is."

If Kevin didn't know better, he'd say she looked intrigued. "Did you call the Orville Brothers to tell them the good news?"

"Not yet." Kevin sat on his bed and messaged his temples to try to relieve his headache, the pills Dean had given him didn't seem to be helping that much.

She sighed. "I guess that responsibility falls to me." Meg sighed and reached into her pocket to pull out the cell phone that she'd been given to contact the Winchesters in case something had happened. And something definitely had happened. "Quiet down and try not to hallucinate yourself to death." Kevin closed his eyes and lied down, trying to find any calm or peace. At least he had Meg there, despite the fact that she had been Crowley's captive for over a year, Kevin knew Crowley was still scared of her.

"Hello?" Dean's voice sounded on the other end of the line.

"Hey, it's your friendly neighborhood demon here. Get your ass over here pronto." Meg clicked the end button before he could argue with her or ask her questions.

* * *

Dean pounded on the door.

"Kevin, Meg, open up! Kevin"! The young dark haired man opened the door with an iron skillet in his hand. The Winchesters took in his appearance, tired, unkempt, haunted. Dean figured that after a week alone with Meg, anyone would look like that. "Whoa! Whoa. Geez. What's going on? What's with the SOS?" Sam and Dean entered the crazy boat. Meg wasn't sitting at her usual seat by the window, and she was taking surprising interest in the boys' arrival.

"It's him." Kevin spoke up.

"It's who?" Sam said.

Meg chuckled. "Oh Sammy you'll regret asking that."

"Crowley." Kevin said with a straight face.

"What about him?" Dead asked, gesturing for Kevin to elaborate.

"He's in my head." Meg bit down on her lip to keep herself from laughing. Now that the shock had worn off for her, she thought the prophet losing his mind to be a little funny.

"He's….in your head." Sam said hesitantly.

"It's just as crazy as it sounds." Meg said.

"Shut up, Meg." Dean said to her.

Kevin continued with the crazy monologue. "Do you know what that means?"

"Yeah, it means we need to up your anxiety meds. Kevin, you're dreaming. Look, if Crowley knew where you were, he'd do a hell of a lot more than mess with your head." Dean said, this time he looked at Meg for confirmation.

Maybe it was because last year Sam's noodle had a fried a bit itself, because he changed the subject. "All right, where's Garth?"

"On a case or, or at the dentist. I don't know. I haven't heard from him."

Dean blinked. "Okay, well, what happened that Meg didn't tell me on the phone?" He took a second to glare at her, in which she returned with a shrug. "Would you put the frying pan down, please?"

Kevin seemed to remember that he was holding it and he placed it down on the stove. "I translated the second trial from the tablet."

Dean smiled. "You….crazy prophet, you. Nice work!"

"And if Crowley's in my head, he knows."

"Okay, he's definitely not in your head."

Sam tried to calm him. "He's not in your head, Kevin. It's ok. Just...We know you're distressed. Just stay with us, all right? What's the second trial?"

And just like that they were back to business. "An innocent soul has to be rescued from Hell and delivered unto Heaven."

"What?" Dean asked. Meg rolled her eyes.

"'Unto'. That's, that's how God talks." Kevin stammered.

"Rescue a soul from Hell? Like actually…..go to Hell? How, how do you get a souls unto Heaven? I mean, how do you even get a soul out of Hell?"

"We're gonna need an expert." Dean peered to look at Meg. It took her a moment to realize that everyone was staring at her.

"Don't look at me, I only know how to get out as a demon. The whole rescuing innocents thing is beyond me." She let out a breath. "But if you're looking for a way out, try looking for people who have their ears to the ground."

"Crossroads demons." Sam sighed.

"Bingo, Sammy."

Dean put his hands together. "Ok, we're gonna head out. Try not to get yourselves killed." Sam and Dean started to make their way to the door.

"Whoa, hold on there, Winchesters." They stopped dead in their tracks to look back at her. "You boys are taking me with you."

"What? No way, we have a deal." Dean sputtered. He should've known Meg would try to back out of her end.

"Listen here, bucko. Kevin was tripping balls last night. He can easily get to an angel blade or any other kind of demon killing weapons you have stashed here. If I stay here, wonder boy might gank me."

"N-"

"Fine." Sam said, ending the discussion. "You're coming with us, but when we're done with this trial, we're bringing you back here. Got it?"

"Clear as crystal." Meg said.


	4. You Should Totally Fear The Reaper

**Hey guys so sorry for the delay, it has been harder to get in touch with my beta reader lately and being back in school doesn't get me much time to get into writing. Thanks so much for the patience**

* * *

"It's raining, am I the only one who thinks that's a little funny?" Meg said to the back of their heads. The moisture outside the Impala cooled the inside of the car, and the demon wasn't sure if she liked the sensation or not.

Sam turned his head. "Stay in the car." He ordered.

Dean and Sam left the demon in the Impala and walked across the street to where a yellow cab was parked, the driver of the taxi was standing next to his cab, reading a newspaper.

Dean initiated. "Ajay. Need to talk to you for a sec."

"You know my name." The driver removed his Bluetooth headset.

"And what you do. We want to do business."

The reaper looked them over. "But you are mortal, flesh and blood."

In the car, Meg watched them interact with the taxi driver. "Those idiots are gonna get themselves killed." She mumbled to herself. If she listened closely she could hear their conversation, but she didn't really care about who was going to Hell and how soon they'd be back. But for the sake of knowing what was going on, she listened.

"You say that like you know us." Sam said. Meg felt like she had missed so much of the conversation, she probably had.

"Of course. You're the Winchesters." Ajay said as a matter of fact.

"Sorry. Have we met?" Dean asked. Didn't these boys know that everyone knew who they are?

"I am the reaper who took Bobby Singer to Hell." Meg sat up in her car seat. Bobby Singer was in Hell? That was news to her, she figured the goody two shoes would've landed himself with the angels, but then again he had disobeyed Heaven and screwed with the angels more times than Meg could keep track of. The demons must have fun getting their payback on him for all the years he was a hunter.

"Bobby in Hell? We burned his bones. Once we did that, it was over. End of story." Dean's gruff voice questioned the reaper, trying to rebuff his claim.

Ajay didn't seem apologetic at all. "Hmm…..Not necessarily."

"No, no, no, 'cause, see, Bobby was on the good side of things, and good guys go to the penthouse." Dean argued.

Meg was getting bored with this whole conversation. Her safety wasn't the only reason she left Kevin, Meg knew that wherever the Winchesters were, Castiel would show up. She just had to wait, like how she had waited last yesterday for her moment to strike on Roxie.

Now that she had some time to herself she could allow herself to relive the events that had taken place in an abandoned building where no one could hear screams…..

The best torturers never got blood on themselves, and when the demon had walked away, Kevin hadn't been able to tell that she had done anything other than spend her night drinking.

She had taken pleasure in making the hunter squeal through her gag, the tears, and the muffled pleas for leniency. But Meg didn't get where she was for being merciful. So piece by piece she sliced and cut into the girl. The demon had taken her time, not because she was angry, but because she was bored and didn't have anything else to do.

Meg had been a little rusty in her skills, and last night she had experimented a little bit, finally testing out that paper cut theory, but her results were inconclusive, mainly because she was cutting off small slices of the hunter's ears and fingers. But hey, at least she attempted it.

Dean opened the car door and got in.

"What happened to your other half?" Meg asked as the car started to move.

Dean gave her a look that said he wasn't pleased with her. "He's doing the second trial."

"That sounds fantastic. I wonder if going to Hell will be like going down memory lane."

"You have a fucked up sense of humor."

Meg chuckled. "I'd tell you to kiss my ass, but you might fall in love."

"Anyways, we're going back to check on Kevin. We'll be there in the morning."

* * *

"What do you mean this is Purgatory? This isn't what I paid for. I booked the Hell tour." Sam argued furiously, this was starting to look like a trap. How fast could pull the demon knife on the reaper before the reaper could do what he has in mind?

Sam didn't get that answer as Ajay explained himself. "Whoa, whoa, Winchester, detach. This is Hell-adjacent. Been down this highway many times before. Follow the stream to where three trees meet as one. Where they meet, there are rocks. Between the rocks is the portal."

Sam relaxed slightly. "A portal?"

"A back door to Hell. Trust me, it'll work." Ajay assured.

Sam was back to his suspicious state. "Wait. So you're not coming with me?"

"Don't be ridiculous." He scoffed. "Smuggling a mortal across the border is risky enough. But gate crashing a Winchester into Hell seriously blows. No. I'll be back in twenty four hours, precisely. Be here." Sam retrieved the knife from his coat and started to turn away. "It's a good thing you brought that. It is not an easy place."

With a flash of light the reaper was gone.

* * *

Meg opened the door for Dean who was carrying a tray of takeout. "Yo, Kev, it's us! Kevin."

"I believe the closet would be safest." The boy in question said as he opens the closet door and speaks from the doorway.

Meg stares at him oddly before heading for the wards to check on them. She had a feeling Dean was gonna give some sort of speech that was supposed to be uplifting and she wasn't sure if she could stomach that.

"Safe from what?"

"Crowley. He's in my head, Dean. If he's in my head, he knows where I am! You know, we, we should move out. We'll find another place. Meg." She looked up at her name. "You probably know some good hiding places."

She shrugged. "It would be a little hard, but I think I could manage to smuggle your crazy ass somewhere."

"Meg, you're not helping." Dean said, pointing to her before turning his attention back to the prophet. "And geez, Kev, would you chill out, huh? Have a burger. Come on. Don't lose it on me now, dude." Dean feels like he's talking to a brick wall, but he continues on anyway as Kevin gets out of the closet. "There you go. That's it."

"Just tell me when this all ends." Kevin says defeated. The tone of his voice reminds Meg of the humans on the rack. Eventually they resign themselves to their fate, and then the demonification starts. "'Cause that's the only thing I want to hear."

Dean looked concerned at how tired his young friend was. "No, like I told you before, this isn't going to end. Look, man, other guys got it easy, you know? It's all backyard barbeques and….bowling teams, but you and me? We got to carry a little extra weight."

"I can't take it." As much as she was actually starting to like the prophet, she didn't think Dean was going about this the right way.

"Yes, you can. Hey, look at me. Now this whole thing sucks. I know. But you suck it up and you push through because that's what we do. And when you get on board with that, the ride is a lot smoother." He gestured to the tray. "French fry?"

"I'm gonna, I'm gonna be in my room. Let me know when there's a good day." Kevin shut the door and disappeared into his closet.

"That's my pie." Dean said sadly.

"If it really puts your panties in a twist I'll go back out and get you another slice." She said. Dean was unsure if she was being genuine or mocking. "So tell me, Commander, tell me what is our next course is action?"

The real reason she asked was because she had noticed the cop car at the bar across the street and she was hoping to be gone before Dean got curious and decided to check it out. That would surely get her in hot water.

"We are staying here for another few hours, and then we gotta go back for Sam." Dean looked in Kevin's fridge to see if the prophet had a secret pie stash. "But first I'm gonna restock the fridge." He motioned to the empty compartments.

Meg remained calm. "Are you kidding me? You're so tired you can barely stand. Go take a nap and I'll go to the store."

Dean raised his eyebrow at her. "Do you really except me to fall for that?"

"Yes actually. I have nowhere to go without getting a noose put around my neck. I've tried the whole 'party of one' thing and it didn't exactly work. Now I have a hankering for peanut butter, and you have to drive and I don't want to get into another crash in your beloved car, so get some shut eye and I'll be back in an hour."

Kevin heard the exchange from his spot in the closet. He had come up with a stupid plan to maybe save his life, or at least the cause. Meg was leaving and Dean would be asleep. This opportunity was perfect.

He heard his former roommate leave, and then he waited. Kevin could hear Dean moving around the boat house before he could hear the springs on the bed.

After about ten minutes, but to Kevin it felt like forever, Dean's snoring was audible from the closet. Kevin had a feeling Dean wouldn't be too happy with this, but what was he gonna do? Gank him? Kevin wasn't sure how Meg would take this, but he knew that if he pissed her off, Dean would be the last of his worries.

Kevin quietly sneaked out of the closet and spotted the Demon Tablet on the table. He slowly picked it up and put it under his arm. With a last look at Dean, he made his escape.

* * *

Castiel rubbed his fingers over the buttons on the cell phone. Maybe he should call Dean and tell him he was alright, or to see how Sam is handling the trials. The angel was lonely going from city to city hiding out in this burger chain. He wanted someone to talk to. The constantly going from one time zone to another was making keeping track of time difficult.

He thought back to how the other day Meg had kept him company for a few stolen and risky minutes. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed her presence. Ever since he had woken up in that mental hospital with a broken mind he had felt a strange sort of kinship with the demon. A connection of sorts.

He wished he could call any one of his friends, but he couldn't risk the angels finding him. Whenever Castiel shifted in his chair he could feel the Angel Tablet move inside of his vessel. His discomfort and loneliness would be worth it once he could find a safe place for the tablet. How he would find such a place he didn't know. For now he would have to be constantly on the move.

So far the only one who has found him was Meg, and for that he was very fortunate it wasn't Naomi with her brain washing tactics or Crowley with his abilities on how to make an angel talk.

At the thought of Meg, Castiel couldn't help but remember how soft her lips were. The bite of sulfur that invaded his senses and muddied up his head. It was only for a few moments, but he couldn't forget the feel of her hair between his fingers and how with her body alone he forgot about where he was and what he was doing.

He shook her from his thoughts. It was a good thing she had pulled away when she did, otherwise he might've done something inappropriate to do in public, or he would've done something to get him found out by those he was running from. A very similar situation to the one that had occurred at that compound years ago. Except for the lack of hellhounds.

He was still unsure how she had been able to locate him. Most demons can't detect an angel that isn't using any grace, and the ones that can detect angels can't do it from a distance. But of course Meg was a very old demon, old enough to control the deavas.

Since his last encounter with her he has taken more measures in concealment. Drawing sigils and wards on himself underneath his clothing to hide him from the angels. The only time he used his powers were for transportation, and even then sometimes he just used the bus to get from Biggerson's to Biggerson's. If Dean or Sam was in on Castiel's plan, they might be impressed with how well thought out it was.

But of course another reason why he won't call the Winchesters was because he was unsure of how angry they were with him. He had nearly killed Dean and even after he reclaimed his mind he took the tablet and left without a word. Surely the boys were very upset with him.

He sighed. He just wanted for all this to be over. Castiel wondered when the day would come when he wouldn't have to hide or fight or run. Most likely the day someone put an angel blade into him.

It alarmed him how easily he was accepting the thought of his demise.

* * *

"Oh Deano, aren't you just the best little wife?" Meg crooned, sitting at the table Kevin translated at with a magazine in her hands.

"Just for that, you're not getting any eggs." Dean countered as he flipped a yolk. "Hey, Kevin! Come in here and grab some of these eggs. Kev! Come on, man. You can't hide in there forever."The door to the outside opened and the prophet sauntered in. Dean looked at him in surprise. "Where the hell you been? What happened to being scared?"

"I am scared. So I made a preemptive move." Kevin said weakly as he walked further into the room.

"So….Made a what now?" Meg thought it was almost funny how stupid his face looked when he was confused.

"I can't sit here with a tablet like a…sitting duck and Crowley breathing down my ass. Getting rid of the tablet just takes some of the pressure." Dean wasn't sure how burned out he was, but hiding the thing he needed to be near wasn't the way to go.

"Wait. Getting rid of it?"

"Temporarily. I hid it."

Meg flipped the page in her magazine uncaringly. "What? Where?" Dean asked.

"If I tell you where, it's not hidden, is it?" Kevin dared, backing into the closet.

"Kevin, tell me where the damn tablet is, or I swear to you-" Meg felt a prickling at her senses. She knew that she had to get outta dodge when all the sudden the air felt…..clean.

"You'll what Dean?" Kevin closes the door to the closet, effectively shutting out Dean.

"Kevin!"

"Kids. So cute when they're little. Then they turn into teenagers, and the party's over." A women in a gray pantsuit and a bun shows up out of nowhere. Dean looks back to where Meg was sitting to see that the demon had bailed. He silently cursed her for leaving him, but because Meg had jumped ship, Dean knew what this woman was. "We haven't been formally introduced, Dean. My name is Naomi." She stuck her hand out to shake Dean's hand, but he backed away from her, as if her very touch could make him her puppet.

"Oh, I know who you are. And I know what you did to Cas after he got out of Purgatory." Dean said defensively. He held back his anger at her. If he did something stupid he could wind up dead.

"After I rescued him from Purgatory, you mean, at the cost of many angels' lives." She said, her face trying to convey sympathy to Dean, but the hunter had spent his whole life lying. Enough experience to know when someone was bullshitting him.

"You screwed with his head and had him spy on us." Dean spat out.

"Well, it is true I have spoken to Castiel many times, trying to reach out to him, trying to help him. Dean, you must have noticed how Purgatory changed him. I mean, he's been unstable in the past, but I was shocked at how damaged he is now." She shook her head softly, as if she was sad.

"Stop, OK? Don't- don't try to spin this. You think I don't know that you told him to try and kill me?" Boy, did Dean wish he had an angel blade right about now….

"Hmm. Yeah, I suppose that is how he would hear it. When I learned of the Angel Tablet, I did tell Castiel to get it at any cost. That's my job, to protect Heaven. I'm a warrior, just as you are. What would you expect? And now Castiel is in the wind with a hydrogen bomb in his pocket, and I- I'm scared, for all of us."

"Save it. See, I don't trust angels, which means I don't trust you."

Naomi cocked an eyebrow. "And you trust a demon?" At Dean's surprised look, she explained. "I can smell the sulfur, she was smart to run when she did. And yet you haven't warded this place against us. I know. You're hoping Castiel would return to you." Dean _really didn't like _it when she started trying to psychoanalyze. "I admire your loyalty. I only wish he felt the same way. I know you don't want to believe it, Dean, but we're on the same side, shutting the Gates of Hell, bringing Castiel in from the cold. Take a moment. Think about I've said. Oh. I know you've been doing business with Ajay. He did mention, didn't he, that his way through Hell is Purgatory? I knew you'd want to know. You see, we can be of help to each other." With a flap of her wings, the angel was gone.

"_Shit!_" Dean cursed. He banged his fist on the closet door. "Kevin! I gotta head back to get Sam." Dean didn't wait for a reply before putting his jacket on and rushing out the door.

He had made it to the Impala when he found her. "That angel was a bitch, right? Makes you really appreciate how nice I've been lately." Meg said, leaning against the passenger door.

"Shut up, Meg!" He yelled as he quickly got into the car.

* * *

Benny sat back in the truck he had stolen from that parking lot in Louisiana. The sun had set awhile ago, and the vampire enjoyed listening to the crickets. He had gone many years just hearing silence, and it was nice to hear the gentle orchestra of insects. Until the gentle sounds became deafening.

He took another sip at his container of blood. It was lamb's blood, it wasn't as good or hearty as human, but it was all he could get at the time without killing anyone. He didn't want any hunters going after him, it was all he could do to make it up to Elizabeth.

He hadn't spoken to his great granddaughter since that day that hunter had tried to kill him, the poor girl was scared out of her mind, and Benny thought it was best to stay away from her from now on. He had been selfish in the first place by messing up her normal life.

Benny's cell phone began to buzz and vibrate. The vampire almost flinched at the sudden noise, but he picked it up and answered it anyway. He didn't recognize the number, but there was only one person who would be calling him.

"Yeah. Hey, it's me." Dean Winchester said. Benny smiled.

"Dean. I didn't expect to hear from you again." Benny said in his low gravelly voice. Out of everyone, Benny considered Dean his only friend in this world and in Purgatory. Too bad they had to stop talking because his brother had gotten jealous.

"I know. I know, man, it's been a long time. I mean, I wanted to call. I did. I just, uh….I thought it might be better if I didn't." Dean said nervously.

"So good to hear your voice Dean. I mean that." Benny said. Either something was up, or young Sam had decided to let someone else in Dean's life.

"How you been?" Dean asked him. The vampire could hear the apprehension in Dean's voice, the emotional undercurrent to it.

"Oh, you know….I get by." Benny wanted to chuckle as he glanced at the lamb's blood.

"I guess I let you down, huh?"

"Look, I'm, uh….I'm just happy as hell to hear from you." Benny sipped his blood nervously.

"You might change your mind about that." Dean said. Benny could practically hear him rub his hands through his hair.

"Why? What do you mean?"

"Benny, I got to ask you a favor. It's a big one."

* * *

After Dean hung up on his boyfriend, Meg wasn't sure if she should say something snarky or just to keep her mouth shut.

When the vampire in question showed up, Meg stayed in the car and didn't make a noise. She let Dean and him do their emotional bromance thing before Dean had to tragically kill his friend. It strangely reminded her of a certain night awhile ago, when she told Sam to go and leave her to die, and instead they had saved her. Even though the execution didn't happen exactly, she knew what it was like to be willing to die for someone you loved.

Meg didn't say a word to Dean, the tear filled eyes were enough to pull at her heart strings a little, like Sam had when he was talking about that Amelia chick. From her spot in the Impala she watched Dean pick up Benny's body and put it in a plastic bag and stuff it in the trunk.

Meg could sense another demon nearby, but she didn't think much of it. She had Dean the emotionally unstable Winchester to protect her, and besides, there were demons everywhere that the odds of that certain demon being after them was unlikely.

Dean and her spent the next few hours driving to some wilderness in Maine to get Sam, Bobby's soul, and Dean's little vampire boyfriend.

When they got there they left the car in a parking lot near the woods and began their hike.

"Do you remember where the portal opens up?" Meg asked after about thirty minutes of walking. It was a sure good thing her boots could handle the woods.

"Of course I remember. It's nearby." Just as he said it, a bright flash of light appeared out of nowhere.

Meg threw her arms up to cover her eyes. When she opened them she saw Sam and Dean hugging each other.

"Purgatory, right? A real garden, ain't it?" Dean said with a smile.

"Yeah." Sam breathed.

"Did you get him out?" Dean asked. Meg looked at Sam's body and wondered how three souls could inhabit him. Once upon a time that body was barely big enough to handle both her and Sam.

"Only Bobby." Sam said. Meg knew what that meant.

"What? I mean, that's fantastic about Bobby." Dean said, sorrow showing on his face. Meg hoped he didn't start crying, she didn't want to have to deal with his blubbering the whole drive back to the bunker.

The ever soft Sam filled the position as crying shoulder. "Dean, look, Benny, uh….He got us out. A bunch of vamps showed, and he used himself as bait. I get the feeling that even if that didn't happen, he didn't want to come back, you know? I'm sorry."

"You're probably right. So, uh….Bobby, how, how'd he hold up down there?" The brunette was starting to get impatient with all this emotional stuff, they needed to get this show on the road.

"He's good, all things considered. Ornery as hell, of course."

"As he should be." Dean said with conviction. "Let's put that old man where he belongs."

"Yeah." Sam pulled up his sleeve with his knife in his hand. "_Solvo haec phantasmata en terram." _A glowing yellow and red light began writhing under the skin of his arm as Sam chants. "_Et inde ad olympum_." The light turned into a bluish white light as Sam holds up his arm and the light starts for the sky.

Meg was a little awed by the sight of a soul heading for Heaven, something a demon never sees, when suddenly the light that is Bobby Singer's soul turns into a cloudy mix of red and black.

"What the hell?" Dean yelled.

"Hello boys." Meg's skin crawled in disgust. Crowley was standing in the woods with them, looking at the now standstill soul. "Bobby Singer, I'd know you anywhere."

"Let him go, Crowley. He doesn't belong in Hell." Dean barked.

"He does if I say he does." Crowley then seemed to notice the fourth person in the woods. "Meg, same goes for you. Sooner than you think you'll be back as my favorite little play thing. But Bobby Singer? He's inflicted untold damage on my kind. From where I sit, Hell's too good for him. Really?" The boys had decided to charge the King of Hell, but with a flick of his wrist the three of them were pinned to tree trunks several feet above the ground. Meg cursed herself for not being quick enough to deflect his power, but instead of fighting him off, she let him have his moment. Mainly because the air was starting to feel very _clean._

Bobby's soul suddenly flashes white. "What?" Crowley yells in his confusion. Meg laughed, especially when Naomi appeared with the flapping of angel wings with a pleased expression. "Oh, come on!"

"Let me see if I've interpreted the situation correctly. The Winchesters have freed an innocent soul from Hell, to which you are wrongfully trying to return it." The angel said with the fury of Heaven strengthening her voice.

"Siding with them, Naomi? You don't know those two, before they're done, we'll both be locked away."

"I'm just hoping they lock you away, dear. The rest I'll figure out." Even though Naomi used strong words, she sounded a little unsure.

"Bureaucrat. You're fighting outside your weight class." Crowley stated in an attempt to intimidate her.

"Don't call me a bureaucrat." The angel extended her arm towards Crowley, her eyes and hand shining from her angelic grace. Crowley takes one look at it and disappears. The two hunters and the demon dropped from their spots on the trees and landed roughly to the ground. Naomi raised her hand upwards, and Bobby's soul turned blue and white before it shot up into the sky, to Heaven.

The angel directed her attention to Dean. "I told you you could trust me." As abrupt as she showed up, she was gone.

"What the hell was that about?" Sam finally asked, looking at Dean.

"I'll tell you later. Let's get this trial done." He dismissed.

Sam pulled out the scrap of paper from his pockets, and says the Enochian phrase. "_Kah nuh ahm dahr_." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Sam grabs his right hand and falls to his knees in agony. The taller man clenched his fist as the burning light fades.

"Sam? What? What?! Talk to me! What?" Dean yelled worried and gripped his brother's shoulder. Even Meg was concerned at the feel of the energy had been exuding from Sam.

"It's OK! It's OK! It's OK! I'm fine. It's done. It's done." Sam said to reassure his brother.

The remaining demon sighed in annoyance. "Now that we have that established, was I the only one picking up the jilted lover vibe from Crowley and that angel?"

* * *

"Kevin? It's us." Dean yelled into as the three entered the dark boat. Meg could see in the dark just fine, but the boys pulled out their flashlights and waved them around the boat. "Kevin!"

The place was clean, not like everything looked all shiny and new kind of clean. There was nothing on the desk. The walls themselves betrayed no trace of Kevin's notes.

Sam moved towards the wall where the plastic crates were. "Kevin." He called.

Dean found the switch and illuminated the boat house.

"This place was a mess just a few hours ago." Meg commented as she looked around the room nonchalantly.

Dean whirled on her. "What did you do?" He took a step towards her. "Where's Kevin?"

"Hey, Seacrest, that egg head was fried. If Humpty decided to skip town before the king's men decided to make an omelet out of him, not my problem." Meg's sarcastic smile appeared on her face.

Sam noticed the rising anger in his brother and held him back. "She couldn't have done anything, she was with you the whole time, right?" Meg was sure that if Sam hadn't taken control of his brother, only two of them would be walking out of here alive, and Meg wouldn't let the Winchesters leave her in the dust again.

Dean shrugged off his brother. "It doesn't matter, I saw this coming. Finally freaked. Little geek made a run for it." Dean appeared to have calmed down, but he still looked at her suspiciously.

"Yeah, but where?"

All was quiet in the boat house. No answers magically appeared. The unlikely trio headed back to the bunker clueless as to what had happened to their friend.


End file.
